The Associated PressWal-Mart plans to open most of its stores at midnight on Thanksgiving this year. Previously, the retailer opened stores at 5 a.m. on Black Friday.

New York -- Wal-Mart plans to open most of its stores at midnight on Thanksgiving, the company said Monday, becoming the latest in a series of retailers to expand hours to lure in shoppers who want to get a head-start on holiday bargain shopping.

The world's largest retailer also is offering shoppers a sneak preview of the discounts it has planned, from laptops to jeans.

As of Oct. 31, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. operated 3,792 Walmart stores, of which 2,882 are supercenters. The company's supercenters are typically open around the clock. But the rest of its stores previously opened at 5 a.m the day after Thanksgiving.

Sears Holdings Corp., which operates Kmart and Sears, Roebuck and Co., said recently that its Sears, Roebuck stores will be opening on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in its history. Toys R Us announced last week that it will open its stores at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.